Robert -g



` Be't known "thal I, RoBEITCMtIoK, of

` ""useful `Improvement in Ditchfing-Malchines and "I do hereby declare that the ol- 1 lowingis a" full, `clear,""and exact description of the "construct-ion @and operation )of the i drawing,

Fig.` Sisan elevation of rear end, y

. 1 d Similar characters of reference inf the sev-1 eral tigures denote the samelpartof the ma` chinef` "i d d The` nature `of my `invention consists in d constructing themachine `withtheplow or `cutter suspended `as will be described, from thefrontof a horizontal frame, and resting d on its heels; therearnf the frame supported by an inclined standard `frame, swung to the longitudinal frame`,and carryinga roller in itslower extremity, so that themachine will rest onv said rolleraand the `heels of the plowor cutter; `a rackand pinion connecting the two frames producing the elevation or depressionof the cutting edge of the plow,

by turning itaroundits heels as will be set forth the excavated `earth "being `carried up "and from the machineby endless conveyers u arranged as will be described.. y The invention further consists in the emi. ployment of an inclined trimming cutter ar- `ranged and operating asgwill be set forth.

d l The construct-ion andoperation of my ma- "chinekwill be readilyunderstood from the `following description andreference to the drawing, infwhich A is" the horizontal frame composed of longitudinal pieces a, connected by crosspieces; this `frame isconnected with .d `the plow or cutter `B bythependant braces c and d and by the attachment vofthe inn "clined side pieces E tothe said frame, as shown in the drawing." @The inclined Vcutter Bjis held betweenthelcheek plates e, upon the heels `f of which theyforward part of the 1I machinefrests. The rear of` the horizontal i frame A` is connected with the standard ""frameFby a rodipassing through both r ithestandard ,trarnefmay swing from the "trame" A.` d d d d i At the lower portionotthis frame F is the n roller Gufwhich` by resting on theground "Harrisonburg, in the county uof Rockingham i `and State :of Virginia, haveinvented a new 1 samafreference being had to the annexed* `.forming Ipart this specification, l

" Fig 2. is a vertical longitudinal section.`

`frames,wor in anysuitable mannerkso that Dimmers-MACHINE. f

` specialistica@ Leueflsjratent No. 112,514, dated March 13, 1855.

as shownmin Fig. 2 `causes the entiremachine *to be supported on said roller and the heels f of the cheeks'c. The rack g secured to the swinging frame F\m"eshes in the pinion `71, fon the shaft 7c, which is journaled on the "trame A, so that by the turning of Asaid shaft the swinging frame F can be more or less inclined to the surface of the ground. Between the cheeks c and `side pieces E are rollers-H and I 1'overwhich passes the endless conveyer K, which may be of chains and iron slats or of any known construction. Motion is communicated to this conveyer from the roller G by mean's of bands Z and Z as shown in Fig. 2. Under "the head of con- A is the conveyer Ji which is moved by the weight of the earth falling upon it so that the product of the excavation is deposited on one side of the ditch.

The pendant braces c are beveled on their inner front edges, and flare slightly outward so as to make the opening sufficiently wide for the passage of the rear portion of the machine without jamming. I design however to construct the cheeks e so as to sweep outward toward the front, and reduce the width of the back edge of the scraper compared with the distance between the sides E so that the earth in passing up the passage between them, upon the conveyer K may not rub against the sides E. The cutting edge of the scraper is shown asbeing straight, though I design to have a triangular plate with verteX to the front placed under the cheeks e, and projecting beforethe present edge, for facilitating the operation of the machine. These and many other minor modifications may be made on the machine as here described without a1- tering theprinciples upon which I base my claims.

lows: The shaft 7c is first turned so as to give the cutter the requisite inclination, raising the heels of the cheeks e from the ground and causing the edge n to rest on the ground. The matter of. inclination of the cutter depending on the nature of the earth, and other circumstances well known to persons acquainted with ditching, need not be minutely dwelt upon here: the point being the construction of the machine as here described so that the movement of the swing- `ing frame regulates the inclination. The

machine is drawn forward by animals suitveyer K, and resting transversely on frame The operation of my machinevis as fol-y TTSTENTFFICE. i

cianuro. "Mauckfos HARRISONBURG, VIRGINIA.

ably attached, causing the result of the eX- cavation to pass between the cheeks and on to the conveyer K, which carries it upword and drops it over its head upon the carrier J from which it passes to the ground outside of the ditch, the gravity of the load producing the motion of the said transverse carrier. This carrier is so connected with frame A that itI may be made to run to either side of the ditch on which it may be desired to deposit the earth. When after repeated cuts the ditch becomes too deep to turn the machine without taking it out; when the extremity is reached, the rack g is so moved as to carry the frame E to the rear, and elevating the cutting edge n cause the fore part of the machine to rest on the heels f as at first. The machine is then driven out and turned, and is then prepared for cutting as before.

In front, of the cutter is the trimming blade I), secured in the frame A by Wedges or any other suitable' means, and inolining from the bottom upward. The frame A may be arranged to accommodate the knife adjusted to two or more Widths of ditch.

Its use is as follows: When the ditch is nished as regards depth, the cutter is elevated from the surface as above specied'and the machine driven forward, trimming the sides of the ditch so as to incline from bottom upward. The earth Which falls is caught on the cutter and carried off in the usual manner. The trimmer is of coarse removed during the horizontal cutting.

Having thus described my invention and the operation of the same, what I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- Y The herein described mode of regulating the operation of t-he cutter or plow by means of the swinging frame E, connected With the body of the machine substantially as specified, in connection with the cheek plates e, operating as, and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name before two subscribing witnesses.

R. C. MAUCK. Witnesses:

Guo. PATTEN, T. C. DoNN. 

